Fibrinogen

Fibrinogen is an important protein made by liver. This test measures the level of fibrinogen in blood. It helps find out whether one have a bleeding or blood clotting disorder. In case of any kind of bleeding in body, fibrinogen is released from liver. It travels to the site of bleeding and help form a blood clot.

Too little fibrinogen can cause prolonged bleeding. But too much fibrinogen can cause you to form clots inside blood vessels. These clots could break loose and travel to your brain or your lungs, putting your life in danger.

Fibrinogen testing is considered for -

• Regular monitoring test for abnormal bleeding disorder along with other tests like Prothrombin time
• As part of investigation of an inappropriate clot formation. Such processes in the body is referred to as a thrombotic episodes.
• To diagnose and monitor an acquired condition called DIC – disseminated intravascular coagulation
• Used along with cardiac risk markers to help determine overall risk of cardiovascular diseases
• Used to diagnose congenital dysfibrinogenemia, hypofibrinogenemia and afibrinogenemia

Fibrinogen testing is needed for below conditions

• Excessive bleeding or bleeding for a longer duration
• If blood clots are formed abnormally
• Abnormal results on other tests for blood clotting, such as prothrombin time (PT), partial thromboplastin time (PTT), or thrombin clotting time (TCT) that suggest a clotting problem.
• Having symptoms of a disease called disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) in which the clotting proteins are too active.
• Screening test for liver disease.
• Family history of a bleeding or clotting disorder such as factor I deficiency.

Fibrinogen tests may detect a fibrinogen deficiency. Fibrinogen deficiencies may be genetic, meaning they occur because of a gene change (mutation). They may also be hereditary, meaning your parents pass down the gene mutation to you.

There are a few types of fibrinogen deficiencies:

• Afibrinogenemia, when you have no fibrinogen in your blood.
• Hypofibrinogenemia, when you have low fibrinogen levels.
• Dysfibrinogenemia, when you have typical fibrinogen levels, but fibrinogen doesn’t function properly.
• Congenital dysfibrinogenemia: Dysfibrinogenemia is a clotting disorder caused due to having an abnormal form of fibrinogen
• Congenital hypofibrinogenemia is a rare condition in which there is a defect in the gene that is responsible for producing fibrinogen.
• Congenital afibrinogenemia is a condition where there is a deficiency of fibrinogen itself

Other Names - Coagulation factor I, Serum fibrinogen, Functional fibrinogen